Whether you're new to wine or an obsessive, the best wine decanters are a home essential. They come in all shapes and sizes, from minimalist and chic to elaborate and decorative, so there's plenty to choose from.
If you care about your wine, you probably have a good wine cooler. However, that's only covers part of the experience. Pouring wine into a decanter helps to oxygenate it, enhancing the aromas and flavors of your bottle, red or white.
Wine decanters aren't reserved for the old bottles that you wait years to drink, either. In fact, many experts recommend using decanters for younger wines too. I've searched through hundreds of decanters looking for ones with stoppers, swans, or electric technology and these are the best.
When you're winding down from the day and looking forward to enjoying a glass of expertly preserved wine, you'll be glad you bought a decanter.
Best wine decanters 2024
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Dimensions: 5.83 x 5.83 x 9.84 inches
Capacity: 50.7 oz
Material: Crystal glass
Dishwasher safe: Yes
+ Simple style
+ Feels Premium
- Difficult to clean
This handcrafted decanter is made so 'you can experience wine as the vinter intended' and the hundreds of five star reviews agree. It is elegant and durable, perfect for a range of wines. It's one of the few decanters which is dishwasher safe too.
Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches
Capacity: 40 oz
Material: Crystal glass
Dishwasher safe: Yes
+ Easy to pour from
+ Looks beautiful
- Quite small
Everything you would expect from Riedel, this ultra premium decanter is premium and yet well-priced too. Even though it is on the smaller side, this decanter can hold a full bottle of wine, whilst looking beautiful.
Dimensions: 9.6 x 9.6 x 17.7 inches
Capacity: 40 oz
Material: Crystal
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Elegant design
+ Excellent aeration
- Difficult to clean
Crafted from luxurious crystal, with a unique design, this eye-catching decanter is truly dazzling. It folds over itself, opening up the aromas of wine so that it's packed with flavor. I love the slim, easy-to-pour-from stem too.
Dimensions: 8.86 x 8.86 x 7.32 inches
Capacity: 77.8 oz
Material: Crystal glass
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Elegant design
+ Delicate feel
- Very fragile
Designed for young bottles, this decanter is most at home in Michelin starred restaurants. The elegant stemware, designed by Kurt Josef Zalto, is delicate and yet it feels sturdy when held. It's perfect for swirling.
Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 7 inches
Capacity: 30 oz
Material: Glass
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Useful strainer
+ Good capacity
- High maintenance
This efficient decanter has everything you need for the perfect pour. The efficient stainless steel strainer will stop sediment from escaping into your glass, resulting in a smooth glass of wine.
Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 23.6 inches
Capacity: 55.38 oz
Material: Crystal glass
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Elegant design
+ Handmade
- Expensive
Riedel makes a range of shaped decanters, including their unusual Riedel boa decanter, but the swan is my favorite. Perfect for pouring, even across long distances, the slim stem looks elegant. Plus, the wide base filters out residue.
Dimensions: 2.03 x 4.13 x 4.76 inches
Capacity: n/a
Material: Stainless steel
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Speedy
+ Smart design
- Needs batteries or electricity
Rather than leave your wine for hours, this mechanism means your cabernet will be ready in minutes. It comes with a vacuum seal pump, ensuring your wine stays fresh for longer. The pouring spout is extremely useful, too.
Dimensions: 3.6 x 3.6 x 9.4 inches
Capacity: 20.2 oz
Material: Glass
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Multiple functions
+ Range of colors
- Can't hold full bottle
Sleek and easy to use, this decanter will expertly aerate your wine, making it aromatic and flavorful. If you have a drop left, the smart technology will preserve it for up to ten days. This can't hold a full bottle, but it's close.
Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 11.25 inches
Capacity: 50 oz
Material: Glass
Dishwasher safe: No
+ Compact
+ Elegant
- Delicate
Perfect for squeezing into your home bar, this small decanter is more than capable. It will aerate your wines and is easy to pour from. It doesn't come at a high cost, even though it feels premium.
Decanter FAQs
What is the best shape for a wine decanter?
A circular base with a narrow neck and flaunted opening is perfect. The circular base will let the wine pool out, exposing it to more oxygen, while the narrow neck makes it easier to pour your wine out
Does the quality of a decanter matter?
Most decanters are made of glass; more premium options are crafted from crystal. If you use a different material, such as stainless steel, this will affect the flavor or your wine.
Why does wine taste better in a decanter?
When wine reacts with oxygen it tastes smoother and fruiter. This is especially true for young wines. Sparkling wine shouldn’t be decanted, but lots of others will taste lovely.
Final thoughts
When pouring a glass of wine, there are a few things that you can do to elevate your drink. Using wine from a good wine cooler always helps. Decanting wine into one of the best containers will enhance all of the complex, beautifully preserved flavors. Pouring it into the perfect wine glass with some delicious snacks completes the perfect trio. Once you start doing it, you won't go back.
How we test
At Homes & Gardens we like to test everything before we recommend it to you. However, we were unable to test the decanters, so I looked through all of the best wine decanters on the market, trying to find the perfect one for you.
I scoured through expert and customer reviews finding out all the details for each decanter. If it had a useful feature, I found out how good it really was. Similarly, if a decanter was difficult to pour from, ultra-fragile, or not big enough for a full bottle, I found that out too. If you'd like to know more, we have a dedicated page for how we test appliances.
-
Inside Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home – the century-old estate that marries Moorish design with Palm Beach luxuryTake a look around the President-elect South Florida property – described as a 'National Historic Landmark' home
-
How do you make sure a white kitchen isn't boring? 10 no-fail designer strategiesDon’t let a white kitchen look bland or clinical. These are the clever ways designers add interest
